>> reporter: hagel the first defense secretary who saw combat as an enlisted soldier. as a poor kid from nebraska he and his brother tom volunteered to serve in vietnam and served in the same unit in 1968. both getting wounded. each crediting the other for saving their lives. >> i don't see the lens of every world event, whether we should use american power through the lens of vietnam. but it is part of me. >> reporter: hagel's service was praised. >> i admire your service to your country. >> reporter: hagel is likely to be confirmed. even his supporters acknowledge he didn't have a particularly strong performance at his confirmation hearing. at one point telling the committee that he needs to learn more about the pentagon. saying, quote, if confirmed i intend to know a lot more than i do. jonathan carl, abc news, the white house. >> not a great performance, as you heard. even from people who will vote for him or like him or fellow democrats, you know, who may vote for him. little more critical about the nation's military. does a person not have a right to go into a sl